With a Labor government in power and firmly on-side, it seems odd that Star Entertainment Group would hire controversial LNP powerbroker and lobbyist Santo Santoro, which it did on November 13. Until you remember next year's Queensland state election, which Star has a lot riding on, could go either way.

The John O'Neill-chaired company last month promised to spend millions of dollars upgrading its Gold Coast assets, including its casino at Broadbeach. And all Annastacia Palaszczuk's Labor state government had to do in return was firmly turn its back on a year-long process to find an operator for a second Gold Coast casino.